CM Omar Abdullah pushes for faster power reforms, timely completion of projects

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday reviewed the performance of Jammu and Kashmir’s power sector and directed officials to speed up ongoing reforms, modernize infrastructure and improve electricity supply, while noting significant gains in revenue realization and reduction in transmission losses.

The Chief Minister reviewed the overall performance of the power sector, including revenue realization, implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, transmission projects and the roadmap for future reforms.

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The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department Ashwini Kumar, ACS to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Managing Director Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited Gurpal Singh, Managing Director KPDCL Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Chief Electrical Inspectorate PDD Sanjay Sharma, senior officers of JKTPCL, senior engineers and other concerned officers.

During the presentation, it was informed that Jammu and Kashmir has made significant strides in implementing power sector reforms under RDSS, with projects worth over Rs.5,700 crore under execution across the region. Of these, works worth nearly Rs.4,700 crore relating to loss reduction have largely been awarded.

Reforms related to metering are expected to improve billing efficiency, reduce losses and empower consumers through transparent energy usage.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of extensive loss reduction works, including installation of aerial bunched (AB) cables, feeder segregation, augmentation of distribution transformers, underground cabling and strengthening of the distribution network. Officers informed the meeting that several districts have recorded substantial progress under these components, with many packages nearing completion.

Reviewing the financial health of the power sector, the Chief Minister noted the encouraging improvement in revenue realization. It was informed that annual revenue realization has increased significantly over the past several years, while the gap between power purchase cost and revenue realization has narrowed owing to sustained reforms, better billing and improved collections.

The meeting was informed that billing efficiency has improved from 56 per cent in 2021-22 to 77 per cent in 2025-26, while overall AT&C losses have declined drastically during the same period. The ACS-ARR gap has also reduced significantly, reflecting improving financial sustainability of the power utilities.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the impact of reduced hydro power generation during the current summer due to low water availability, which has increased dependence on power procurement from the energy exchange during peak demand hours. Officers briefed him on measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted supply despite seasonal challenges.
Reviewing the roadmap ahead, the Chief Minister stressed the need to maintain the momentum of reforms beyond the ongoing RDSS programme. He directed the department to ensure timely completion of all sanctioned works, to closely monitor project execution, remove implementation bottlenecks and improve accountability at every level.